Parenting as the Father Would

The Family a Proclamation to the World teaches, “Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live.”

How can these guidelines help us to rear our children in righteousness?

Love and righteousness – Parents can teach children in formal and casual settings. From dinner time and chores, to Family Home Evenings or Family Councils. Even in car rides to and from school can provide us with and opportunity to teach our children in love and righteousness, as our Father in Heaven would to us.

Provide for their physical and spiritual needs – Yes, we know we need to provide roof over their heads, and food on the table, but we should also be teaching our children how to do these things for themselves one day. We teach them the tools they will need to care for themselves and their own families eventually.

Teach them to love and serve – The greatest way our children learn is through our examples. If they see us serving them, our spouses, in our community, and all those we come in contact with they will follow suit. I believe our children can learn so much about the pure love of Christ in our families and through Church service.

Obey the commandments and follow the law – We are blessed to live in a country where obeying the law of the land does not cause us have to break the commandments of God, nor do they conflict with His teachings. However, we aren’t always perfect in keeping those laws. I am just as guilty as the next person of going over the speed limit or doing a “California Stop” when no one else is around. This is not the example our Father in Heaven would have us set for our children. We will teach them great lessons in the little things, and laws that we choose to keep in our daily life.

Simply studying this small section of the Family Proclamation can help us to refine our teachings as parents, and help us to better guide our children through this life, as our Father in Heaven would guide us.